Governor balks at guard withdrawl

Phoenix, AZ – Governor Janet Napolitano is balking at putting state National Guard units along the international border to replace troops from across the nation who are being withdrawn. Arizona Public Radio's Howard Fischer explains.

The federal government had put 2,400 Guard soldiers in SouthernArizona two years ago in a support role to free up Border Patrolagents to go out and find illegal immigrants. Now the governor isupset because they're going to be gone by July 15th. HomelandSecurity spokeswoman Laura Keehner said that had been the planall along, with the Border Patrol right on schedule to have18,000 agents by the end of the year. Napolitano does have theoption to deploy Arizona guard troops in their place. But thegovernor does not like that idea.

(The key thing about the federal Operation Jump Start is it waspaid for by federal dollars. Since I believe the federalgovernment has not put enough resources on the border to beginwith, to put yet another burden on Arizona taxpayers would be ahard thing to swallow.)

Napolitano also said it took longer than expected for the feds toget a virtual fence of sensors and cameras operating. Keehnersaid that's just wrong.

(I take issue with the virtual fence being delayed. We'veapprehended over 3,000 people just in the 28 miles in thistesting area since December.)

Keenher acknowledged the system was initially identifying cattleand wildlife as illegal border crossers.